December 15, 1998 (Charlotte, N.C.)---Oakwood Homes Corporation announced
today that Scott Hansen will drive the No. 52 Oakwood Homes Chevrolet for
the 1999 season. Oakwood Homes and Ken Schrader Racing have teamed
together to compete full-time in the 25-race NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
schedule.
"This is an incredible opportunity for me to drive Schrader's truck," said
Hansen. "We have been great friends since 1991 and he has given me a lot
of opportunities, but this is the chance of a lifetime for me. The NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series is where I want to be. I think it is a challenging
series with a lot of potential."
Previously, Hansen drove an American Speed Association (ASA) entry for Ken
Schrader Racing from 1997-1998.
"It was an easy decision for me to move Hansen up to my truck team," said
Schrader. "He has been very successful for us in the ASA shop and he has a
good relationship with my truck crew chief, Wally Brown. The two of them
are both going to be rookies in the series, but without a doubt in my mind
they will be successful."
In addition to competing for a win, Hansen will also vie for the Cintas
Rookie of the Year award. Although he will carry a rookie stripe, Hansen
competed in four NCTS races in 1998 at Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Phoenix and
Las Vegas.
Hansen began racing full-time in 1987 in Green Bay, Wis., at the Wisconsin
International Speedway collecting five track championships. He then moved
on to racing in the ASA division in 1989 and collected the rookie of the
year award. Hansen moved to Charlotte, N.C., in 1996 to drive the full ASA
schedule for Ken Schrader Racing in 1997 and 1998. He collected nine wins
and finished second in the points both years.
Hansen is relatively new to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but he has
valuable experience on a number of tracks he will compete at in 1999.
Hansen has wins at tracks on the 1999 schedule including The Milwaukee
Mile, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex,
Phoenix International Raceway and Heartland Park Topeka. He also sat on the
pole at Pikes Peak (Colo.) International Raceway and finished second at
I-70 on in Odessa, Mo.
"We are very pleased with the addition of Hansen to our list of drivers,"
said Jim Steinmeyer, Senior Vice President of Oakwood Homes Corporation.
"Along with Schrader and Santos, we feel we are adding another championship
caliber driver to our program. The Oakwood Homes Racing program is really
taking off for us and supplying the brand recognition and awareness that we
are seeking. We feel confident that Hansen is going to represent our
product well and we are proud to have him aboard."
In addition to their involvement in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,
Oakwood Homes also sponsors the Andy Petree Racing NASCAR Busch Series
entry driven by Schrader in which they will compete in 15 races during the
1999 season and the NHRA Federal-Mogul Dragster driven by two-time champion
Rick Santos.